All Christmas presents bought, eventually (following visit to large institution in South Kensington)
All price labels and 'Half Price' stickers removed (without leaving too much sticky excess)
End of sellotape found (eventually)
All presents crudely wrapped (even the annoying hexagonal prism and the nigh-impossible cylindrical tin)
All receipts stored safely (just in case somebody else has identically good taste in purchasing gifts)
Bets taken on which one of my presents is destined to end up in the cardboard box on the top shelf in the garage (but hopefully just the one)
Remaining wrapping paper returned to the spare room ready for next Christmas (assuming I remember where I put it)
Scarily huge number of plastic carrier bags dumped under table in kitchen (must take them out for recycling in the New Year)
Double issue Radio Times scrutinised to find the eight hours of programmes I'd most hate to miss over the next five days (damn, there's 14 hours of it)
Video recorder set for everything I'd like to watch over Christmas but probably won't see because I'm being sociable (or because there's a six year-old standing in front of the screen)
Final Christmas card tally counted (damn, I sent twice as many as I received, again)
All appropriate clothing washed and packed (damn, those smart trousers don't fit any more, and I haven't even started on the turkey yet)
Digital camera, iPod shuffle and electric razor fully charged (because there's nothing worse than finding yourself powerless in the middle of the countryside)
Phone fully charged (despite there being almost no mobile reception in the wilds of Norfolk)
Buds on my Christmas cacti about to burst into bloom (probably immediately after I leave the house for several days)
Reading matter selected for train journey (and for that quiet Boxing Day afternoon after everybody else has fallen asleep)
Last of the 2005 season Creme Eggs finally consumed (only five months after the sell-by date, mmm)
Tomorrow's blog post ready to go up at 12 noon today (because most of you won't be online tomorrow)
Braced to enter 'Uncle' mode (it's not much of an act, honest)
Deep breath (let's party!)
Pre-Christmas checklist
